WASHINGTON, D.C. -- President Bush has welcomed Pope Benedict XVI to the White House with assurances that the United States is a nation of prayer and that its people are open to his message of hope.

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Bush said that "we need your message that all human life is sacred."

Bush said that "in a world where some no longer believe that we can distinguish between simple right and wrong, we need your message to reject this dictatorship of relativism."

Pope On Pedophile Priests | Pope Benedict Arrives

In his comments before a crowd on the White House lawn, Pope Benedict spoke of the strenghth of the American Roman Catholic Church and of the value of the country's freedom. He touched on issues of human rights and the need to protect them.

The Pope arrived in the United States Tuesday afternoon, and by Tuesday night, his visit had already produced some surprises.

NBC5's Mary Ann Ahern reported from the nation's capital that the pontiff spoke to the media on his flight to Washington, and the pope talked about some of the problems facing American Catholics, such as the dwindling number of priests and the sexual abuse scandal.

"I am deeply ashamed, and we will do what is possible so this cannot happen again in the future," the pope said.

The Chicago Archdiocese has witnessed its share of the sexual abuse scandal, Ahern reported, as recently as the guilty plea last July of the Rev. Dan McCormack. Pope Benedict, though, spoke of moving forward.

"Only, really, some persons can be admitted to the priesthood," the pontiff said. "And that only persons who have a deep, personal love of Christ."

Ahern reported that survivors of sexual abuse by priests said they were through with apologies -- they wanted accountability from the bishops.

Illinois Supreme Court Justice Anne Burke, who met with the then-Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger when she was chairman of the National Review Board, and then investigating the sexual abuse crisis.

"Today, as Pope Benedict, he knows from our lips, what went on over here," she said.

The Rev. Matt Gamber of Loyola Academy is one of several priests who is in town for the pope's visit.

"There's all kinds of problems," Gamber said. "Always have been, always will be. There's also a time to say, 'Hey, we're more than just the problems -- we're also solutions, but also real answers to the world's questions.'"

Gamber added that Pope Benedict was "a real truth-teller."

"He looks at the real hard issues, and the issues that have to be confronted," Gamber said. "But, in light of the fact that, 'We're here to celebrate God's love.'"

Chicago's Cardinal Francis George who will escort Pope Benedict during his six-day tour, as he is the president of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops. When asked if he would ride the "popemobile," George laughed and said, "I'm not sure about that."

Pope Benedict has also invited presidents of Catholic universities to come to Washington, and DePaul University's president would be in D.C., Ahern reported. A Chicago bishop has also invited Blackhawks' legend Stan Mikita to Washington, D.C. Mikita and his wife will not only attend the Mass to be held at the Nationals' stadium, but also to the White House ceremony scheduled for Wednesday.